Well pump



WELL PUMP Filed Aug; 8, i927 i ll/741% I1\l ENTOR. BY Harv/d Pi af/11': $042 @0112? A TTORXI'IYS.

Patented Jan. 23,1930

I. WATKINS, OI OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO 'WATKINS HITTING PUMP 00., OF SAN FOBNIA.

FBANQISCQ, earn-02mm, A eonromrron on camwn}. rm

Application filed August a, 1927. Serial No. $211,389.

This invention relates generally to pumps for lifting liquids from deep wells' and is especially applicable for pumping oil.

It is a further object of this invention to incorporate means in a pump of the plunger type for aiding in lifting the column of liquid abovethe' pump plunger, thus minimizing the power required to reciprocate the plunger and reducing the wear upon the m plunger and pump valves.

It is a further object of this invention to incorporate the principle of introducing recurrent charges of compressed gas into the lower portiofi of a pump barrel in order to aid the normal operation of a pump ofthe plunger type.

Further objects of this invention will appear from the following description in which I have set forth thepreferred embodiment an ofmy invention.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing theinvention applied to an oil well.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional detail showing the auxiliary valve mechanism which I propose'to incorporate with a plungerpump.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional detail showing a representative pump with which my invention may be incorporated.

Fig. 4 is a detail illustrating a modification of the auxiliary valve mechanism.

The invention may be outlined briefly as comprising auxiliary means in conjunction with a liquid pump of the plun er type, for introducing recurrent charges of gas into the pump barrel directly above the pump plunger. These charges of gas form in efl'ect pneumatic pistons which lift the col umn of liquid in the discharge pipe, thus minimizing the lifting forceexerted by the 4 pump plunger. The auxiliary means is preferably in the form of a valve cooperatively associated with a hollow sucker rod. Com pressed gas is introduced into the plunger rod from the surface of the well and reciprocating movements of therod serve to open and close the auxiliary valve to control introduction of the gas charges.

Referrin to the drawing for a more complete description, there is shown in Figs. 1

with the lower portion 14 with the standing compressed v the lower end of and 3 a conventional form of deep well puin such as are commonly used in oil wells.. Such a pump comprises for example a pump barrel 10 within which one or more pump plungers 11 are operativelydisposed. Associated of the barrel, there is a standing or check valve 12, while movable with the plunger 11, there is the usual lift valve 13. The barrel L lowe ed into a well V valve substantially below the normal liquid level, and the plunger is usually reciprocated by means of a solid sucker rod which isa ttached to the upper end of valve 13.

' .In this invention the sucker rod 16 is in the form of a pipe or tube, or in other words it is hollow to permit passage of compressed air or other gas. The upper end of this hollow sucker rod is connectedwith suitable mechanism for'reciprocatingthe same, and is also in communication with a source of gas under pressure as by means of pipe 17. In that form of theinvention shown in Fig. 1, instead of connecting the hollow sucker rod 16 directly to the valve 13, it is connected thru an auxililzgry valve mechanism indicated generally at That form of the auxiliary valve mechanism 18 illustrated.is to be preferred because of its simplicity, and comprises a sleeve 19 provided with coupling means 21 at its lower end for making connection to the valve 13. Slidably fitted within the sleeve 19, there is a cylindrical valve member 22 which is adapted to reciprocate thru a limited stroke within the valve member 22, there s an actuating rod23 which is adaptedto beconnected to hollow sucker rod 16 as by means of coupling 24. Gas which is introduced into the upper. portion of hollow sucker rod 16 may pass downwardly thru passageway 26 provided in rod 23, and thru one or more ports 27 provided in valve member 22.

Ports 27 are adapted by when valve member 22 is at the lower limit of its movement relative to sleeve 19, gas from the hollow sucker rod is'discharged into the pump barrel thru ports 27 and 28, but dis to cooperate with one 9 or more ports 28 provided in sleeve 19, where 85 the sleeve 19. Extendlng upwardly from these parts is charge of gas is interrupted when valve member 22 is at the upper limit of its stroke. For limiting the upward movement of valve member 22 with respect to sleeve 19 I have shown a guide member 29 secured to the upper end of sleeve 19. Relative rotation between valve member 22 and sleeve 19 is revented by providin a key 31 which is fixed with respect to s eeve 19, and which engages a groove 32 in valve member 22.

When the pump as described above is in o eration, at the beginning oi? a down stroke 0 hollow sucker rod 16, valvemember 22 first moves downwardly into the sleeve 19 to bring ports 27 and 28 into registry and thus permit the discharge of compressed gas into the urn barrel directly above the plunger 11.

urt er movement of rod 16 forces the plunger downwardly and during this downward movement gas is continually discharged. On the upstroke of rod 16, the first result is to move valve member 22 upwardly within sleeve 19 to interrupt discharge ofgas, into the pump barrel. Further movement of the sucker rod lifts the pump plunger which then operates in its usual capacity to lift the upper column of oil. Thus durin continual operation of the pump, charges of gas are recurrently introduced into the column of oil above the pump plunger and these charges act as neumatle pistons which in addition to the iftin effect on plunger 22, lift the column of oi and cause its discharge at the top of the well. Because the compressed gas is introduced into the oil column in the form of recurrent charges, the oil will not be emulsified as would be the case if the gas were continually introduced into the oil column. Because of the lifting efi'ect of the gas charges, valves of the pump are relieved of a substantial amount of hydrostatic pressure. Thus leakage and wear of minimized and the pump will operate with high efiiciency. As there is a substantial reduction in the power required to operate a pump of this kind, it is feasible with a iven installation to substantially increase t e'pumping capacity of a given in stallation by increasing its speed of operation. I a

In 4 I have illustrated a modification of the inventionin which the ump barrel forms one 0f.theelements of t e auxiliary valve. In this case the lunger valve 36 has a special cage 37 which is directly connected to the hollow sucker rod 16 as bymeans of coupling 38. The upper portion ofpage 37 is provided with one' or more orts 39 communicating with a passage 41't ru which gas 42 adaptedto cooperate wt may be introduced from hollow sucker rod .16. The inner wall of the pump barrel 100 oove or recess ports 39. A 43- commumcate between and the barrel 100 above is provided'withan angular plural ty of grooves the annular re ess 42 tion of the barrel, a pump plunger the valve cage 37. At the lower portion of the down stroke of hollow sucker rod 16, ports 39 are brought into registry with the annular groove 42, thus permitting discharge of compressed gas from the hollow sucker rod into the pump barrel thru grooves 43. When the sucker rod is moved upwardly port 39 is brought out of registry with recess 42 and introduction of gas is interrupted, since grooves 43 are not adapted to register with ports 39. The operation of this pump is substantially identical to that shown in Fig. 1 with the exception that gas is introduced only at the lower portion of the stroke rather than during the down stroke.

It is obvious from the above description that I have devised a novel pumping device in which the idea of discharging recurrent charges of compressed gas into a well, is correlated in a novel manner with the mechanism of a standard reciprocating plunger ump.

The operation of the standing valve, pump plunger, and' plunger valve causes intermittent infiow of oil "from the well into the plunger, and in the invention described above, the gas is introduced at a time when no inflow is occurring. By operating the auxiliary valve in this manner, I revent emulsifying of the oil by the gas w ich is introduced.

I claim:

1. In an oil well pump, a pump barrel,

.valve and plunger mechanism operatively disposed within the barrel and adapted to be reciprocated, a hollow sucker rod for reciprocating said mechanism, a source of gas -under pressure associated with the upper portion of the rod, and additional valve means associated with the lower portion of the rod and operated by reciprocation of the rod to introduce recurre t charges of gas into the barrel.

2. In an oil well pump, a pump barrel, valve and plunger mechanism operatively disposed within the barrel and adapted to be reciprocated, a hollow sucker rod for reciprocating said mechanism, a source of gas under pressure associated with the upper portion 0 the rod, and valve means associated with the lower (portion of the rod above said mechanism, sai valve means being operable to admit a charge of gas into the barrel upon movement of the rod in one direction.

3. In an oil well pump, a pump barrel, a standing valve associated with the lower pordisposed withinthe barrel, valve means associated with the plunger for efiecting lifting of lilfilid in conjunction with the standin valve, a ollow sucker. rod adapted to extend down into a well and secured to said plunger for reciprocating ,the same, and an auxiliary valve'dispobed near the lower end' of the rod and above the plunger, said auxiliary valve being adapted to alternately establish and interrupt communication between the barrel and said hollow rod during normal operationof the pump.

4. In an oil well pump, a standing valve associated with the lower portion of the barrel, a pump plunger disposed within the barrel, valve means asso ciated with the plunger for effecting lifting of liquid in conjunction with the standing valve, a hollow sucker rod adapted to extend down into a well and secured to said plunger for reciprocating the same, a-source of gas under pressure connected to the upper portion of the rod, and auxiliary valve means associated with the lower portion of the rod above said plunger, said auxiliary valve means being operated by reciprocating movement of the rod whereby upon movement of a pump barrel,

the rod in one direction, said auxiliary valve is closed, while upon movement of the rod in the opposite direction, the auxiliary valve is opened to permit a charge of gas to enter the barrel.

5. In an oil well pump, a pump barrel, valve and plunger mechanism operatively disposed within the barrel and; adapted to be reciprocated, a hollow sucker rod for rea source of gas.

ciproeatingsaid mechanism, under pressure connected with the upper end of'said rod, and valve means associated with the lower portion of said rod for controlling communication between said rod and barrel, and means for effecting opening and closing movements of said valve to introduce recurrent charges of gas into the barrel. 4

In an oil well pump, a pump barrel, valve and plunger mechanism operably disposed within the barrel and adapted to be reciprocated, valve means within the well and associated with said mechanism, a source of gas under pressure communicating with said valve means, and means for reciprocatmg said mechanism and for recurrent ly opening and closing said valve means, said val d uce gas under pressure into the 011 therefrom. y

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. I

HAROLD F. WATKINS.

well to' lift ve means serving to intermittently intro- 

